Lenovo Yoga 2 11 review

Lenovo's Yoga line of Windows hybrids has been refreshed, and awkwardly named the Yoga 2 11 and Yoga 2 13. The smaller 11-inch model is the subject of this review and after a few days of use it's clear it's a good small laptop and a tablet that is appropriate for occasional use.

The Yoga 2 11 is thin and light for a notebook. A photo later in the gallery shows how favorably it compares size-wise with the 11-inch MacBook Air. It fits in smaller gear bags and is easy to carry around on a daily basis.

Hardware specs as reviewed

Processor

￼Intel Pentium (Bay Trail), 2.16GHz

Memory

4GB

Display

11.6 inch, 1,366x768

OS version

Microsoft Windows 8.1

Camera

Front: 720p

Storage

500GB SSHD + 16GB SSD

Ports

1-USB 3.0; 1-USB 2.0; microHDMI; Audio in/out; SD/MMC slot

Connectivity

Wi-fi (802.11 b/g/n); Bluetooth 4.0

Battery

6 hours; 34 Whr

Dimensions

11.7" x 8.12" x 0.67"

Weight

3.196lbs

Use as a laptop

The Yoga 2 11 is well constructed for such an inexpensive laptop (starting at $599). It feels almost as sturdy as ThinkPad models costing much more. It feels very solid in large part due to the display hinges. These allow pushing the lid all the way back and under the keyboard, stopping at any point in between.

This flexible screen is where the Yoga derives its name. It can be positioned to form a laptop, tablet, and put in tent mode. The latter allows positioning the laptop in an inverted "V" shape facilitating watching videos or for giving intimate presentations. The hinge is not too rigid to make it hard to adjust, but is stable enough to support the notebook in any position.

The Bay Trail processor in the Yoga 2 11 is not the fastest, but has worked surprisingly well in my testing. Tablet use is fluid, and notebook use is not bad. Gaming is not the best but other functions are snappy and lag-free.

The keyboard is not as good as a ThinkPad model, but it's not bad. The key travel is very shallow, but doesn't impact fast touch typing. The trackpad is small, but nice and responsive. The integrated mouse buttons are located along the bottom of the trackpad, and must be hit squarely to activate.

I am not a fan of convertible notebooks, as none I've tried (out of dozens) have yielded a good tablet experience. I find that tablets with a keyboard attached (although hidden) are just too heavy for comfortable use in the hands.

The Yoga 2 11 doesn't change that impression, as the 3+ lb. form is just too heavy to use as a tablet. That discomfort is compounded by holding the tablet with the keyboard exposed under the screen. It feels abnormal to be gripping the keyboard keys on the back of the tablet.

The touch tablet operation is otherwise solid, and the Bay Trail processor runs it well. The touch interface scrolls smoothly, and apps run as expected without lag.

Conclusion

The Yoga 2 11 from Lenovo is a convertible notebook that is a good fit for those wanting a good laptop for occasional use as a tablet. It offers six hours of operation on the battery, which is not great for a tablet. The starting price of $599 is what I would expect for a hybrid with a Bay Trail processor.

Pros:

*Good price

*Solid build quality

*Reasonable keyboard

Cons:

*Too heavy for tablet use

*Short battery life

*Holding the tablet by gripping the keyboard is unsettling

Reviewer's rating: 7 out of 10

Yoga 2 11 laptop mode

The Yoga is very portable and a good fit for the road warrior.

Yoga 2 11 thin profile

The 11-inch Yoga 2 is not much bigger than the MacBook Air.

Sealed battery

The battery is not user-replaceable.

Left side ports

Ports on the left side of the Yoga 2 11 (Left-Right):

Proprietary power port, USB 3.0, SD slot, microHDMI

Right side ports

Ports on the right side of the Yoga 2 11 (Left-Right):

Power button, Wi-fi on/off, Volume up/down, audio, USB 2.0

Keyboard and trackpad

While not as good as a ThinkPad keyboard, this one is not bad. The entire touchpad is not clickable, only the strip at the front of the pad.

Thin and light

The styling of the Yoga 2 11 is similar to the familiar black ThinkPad design.

Tablet mode

The Yoga 2 is heavy while used in the hand in tablet mode. It is also strange gripping the exposed keyboard under the screen.

Tent mode

The display hinges are very sturdy for propping up the device in tent mode for watching video or giving presentations.

Right side ports

James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long. Prior to joining ZDNet, James was the Founding Editor of jkOnTheRun, a CNET Top 100 Tech Blog that was acquired by GigaOM in 2008 and is now part of that prestigious tech network. James' w...
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